greerwatson (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
greerwatson) wrote2013-10-11 07:59 am
greerwatson) wrote2013-10-11 07:59 am
Entry tags:
Dear Yuletide author
Dear Author, let me thank you right up front for the story you are going to write. Although you've seen the requests on my sign-up, I know that many people like a bit more to go on than just the prompt. If so, I hope this letter will prove helpful. All these fandoms are dear to my heart. Whatever you write, I'm sure I will love it!
General Guidelines:
As far as general guidelines are concerned, I seem to say pretty much the same thing for every gift exchange. (Which makes sense, I guess.)
What I Like:
* Plot and/or character (both being the ideal, of course!)
* A sense of humour and being able to recognize the ridiculous when it pops up; also wit and wordplay, if the story calls for them. (Having said that, I totally leave it up to you whether you write a serious or comic story—or a serious story with comic interludes.)
* Stories that are true to canon (though I've certainly enjoyed some flat-out AUs)
What I Dislike:
* Poor spelling, bad grammar and punctuation, and blatant Americanisms uttered by British characters (unless they're aware of what they're doing, which is another matter entirely)
* Explicit sex, especially if long and detailed. No objection to hints, but I'm not into plumbing.
My Own Writing
If you want to have a look at some of my own stories, you can find them on my website.
And a bit more detail about my requests:
Prehistoric Park
Characters: Nigel Marven, Bob Arthur, Suzanne McNabb
Why do I love it? Well, the time travel adventures are fun; the notion of saving these fascinating species from extinction is appealing; and the human touches bring it all to life, especially the scenes back at the park. (Also the animation was brilliant; but that's not exactly relevant to your writing me a story.)
Obviously, what I'd really like is the resurrection of the series and six more episodes. Realistically, you're writing me a Yuletide fic, so I couldn't expect more than a single time trip plus a bit back at the park. Nigel is the one who takes a team through the portal. However, I've also asked for Bob and Suzanne, since they're the ones who primarily deal with the animals at the park. Your choice of time period, of course; but, if you can manage it, I would prefer an era that is as-yet-unvisited.
Availability: The series is available on DVD as a boxed set, and the episodes are often up on YouTube in their entirety. (As usual, this is bound to vary depending on where you live. Google is your friend.)
Time Team RPF
Characters: Phil Harding (Time Team).
What I'd like is something about the making of an episode, real or imaginary. Scenes from the cutting-room floor, so to speak—though it could be behind the scenes, whether before, during, or after filming, for there's clearly a lot of preliminary organization before the three days of the dig itself. If the scope of that sounds a bit much (and I can see how it might!) then perhaps you could write some chit-chat as they dig when the cameras aren't rolling, or a scene in which they set up a shot, or something back at the pub talking about the day's work. Character stuff.
I'm not especially interested in your having them discover something of "national significance". Their digs were always intriguing; but most of them were informative rather than earthshatteringly important. That sort of thing isn't exactly the meat-and-potatoes of archæology, anyway.
Feel free to include any of the people involved with the show. You don't need to limit yourself just to those who were nominated, let alone asked for. (Do please bear in mind, though, that I won't know anything from the last couple of years of the show.) I only specified Phil because he's created a distinct on-air character for himself that's very appealing; and it would be a great pity if he weren't in the story somewhere.
Gen, most definitely. The only thing that needs to get dirty are their boots. (Knees, hands, trowels....)
Availability: There is a section on the Channel 4 website that may be helpful. Apparently only bits of Time Team are available on DVD. However, there are sometimes a few whole episodes on YouTube. I suggest you try Google and see what you come up with.
The Charioteer - Mary Renault
Characters: Any.
Quite a lot of fan fiction focuses on the canonical romances; so, on the whole, I'd prefer a story that is more-or-less gen—though that depends, of course, on what characters are included during which period in their lives. I certainly don't want canon ignored; it's more a question of focus. Backstory, missing scene, an exploration of characters often overlooked....
Whoever you want to include is fine by me. You don't have to limit yourself to characters who were nominated.
I'd prefer something canon-compliant. Futurefic is okay; but I'd rather not have an AU.
Availability: The preferred edition is always the 1953 Longman (or its 1973 reprint); but the paperback is a lot more available, being in print. Also, Renault's books are found in most libraries. There's an LJ community,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
maryrenaultfics, that is devoted to Mary Renault's novels. Current posts are members-locked; but it might be a good place to find a beta.
Forever Knight
Characters: Any.
As someone who's played in a Forever Knight War as a Die-Hard (if that means anything to you), I like all the characters. Okay, some a bit more than others: so, I'd just like to say that I've never warmed to Divia; nor have I any great interest in Fleur or Lisa Cooper. I'd prefer, therefore, if your story focused on one or more of the others.
Here are a few general suggestions, if you find that sort of thing helpful.
I love the cop aspect of the series, both the interplay back at the station, and also the detective story plots. Casefic would be great; or maybe an ensemble piece, with the focus on people's interactions. I like both Tracy and Schanke as Nick's partner; all the captains are of interest.
Of course, you may prefer to explore one or more specific characters. I'm a keen gardener, so I've a soft spot for Feliks Twist, even though I do my planting outdoors and he, being a vampire, has to use grow lights. We know little about the personal/professional lives of any of the captains. Both Tracy's and Schanke's families are familiar from hints, but largely unseen. And, unlike the long history of Nick, Janette, and LaCroix, the third-season vampire characters have a history that is largely unexplored, aside from the circumstances in which they were brought across. Vachon is centuries old; Urs saw the whole of the twentieth century.
Basically, I'm pretty easy on what you write, though my preference is for gen. (If romance does sneak in, please stick to a PG-13 rating at most.) Any other characters you want to include would be fine. I'd prefer something canon-compliant, but do feel free to ignore "Last Knight" if you want.
Availability: The series is available on DVD. There's a Forever Knight wiki, if you just want to check details.
Hellspark - Janet Kagan
Characters: Maggy | Margaret Lord Lynn, Tocohl Susumo.
Suggestions, suggestions....
Well, I don't think it's reasonable to ask you to write a sequel. I'd love a sequel, of course; and it's not as though people have never written novels for gift exchanges. (I did myself once. Nearly killed me.) However, it's not really a practical request. *g*
I love casefic. Some other mystery for now-Byworld Judge Tocohl Susumo to tackle would be a joy. We saw one other world in some detail, at the beginning of the novel, so—if perchance some other year she were back there and some crime were committed—perhaps she might be enlisted to solve it. If you want something less plotty, I'd love a missing scene, either on board ship or on Lassti.
Although I specified Maggy and Tocohl as the two characters I really want to see in the story, do, please, feel free to use any or all of the others! I love Tocohl's friendship with Alfvaen. Om im's future role as assistant promises much. Buntec and Edge-of-Dark are always fun. Or layli-layli, swift-Kalat—any of the characters, in fact, whether nominated or not. They all have their charms.
Really, anything would be wonderful.
Availability: Now back in print (Amazon link).
General Guidelines:
As far as general guidelines are concerned, I seem to say pretty much the same thing for every gift exchange. (Which makes sense, I guess.)
What I Like:
* Plot and/or character (both being the ideal, of course!)
* A sense of humour and being able to recognize the ridiculous when it pops up; also wit and wordplay, if the story calls for them. (Having said that, I totally leave it up to you whether you write a serious or comic story—or a serious story with comic interludes.)
* Stories that are true to canon (though I've certainly enjoyed some flat-out AUs)
What I Dislike:
* Poor spelling, bad grammar and punctuation, and blatant Americanisms uttered by British characters (unless they're aware of what they're doing, which is another matter entirely)
* Explicit sex, especially if long and detailed. No objection to hints, but I'm not into plumbing.
My Own Writing
If you want to have a look at some of my own stories, you can find them on my website.
And a bit more detail about my requests:
Prehistoric Park
Characters: Nigel Marven, Bob Arthur, Suzanne McNabb
Dinosaurs! Or mammoths, trilobites, or what have you. (Your choice of time period, but I'd prefer something as-yet-unvisited.) Ideally, something along the lines of a new episode—well, a single time trip plus a bit back at the park. I'd prefer it written as real prose, rather than an attempt at a screenplay or transcription.Wikipedia describes this six-part series as a "mockumentary", which is fair enough. It is about a team of scientists who use a time portal to bring back extinct animals to a huge park where they hope, in time, to breed them. Each episode focuses on a different period, to which they go in search of some particular species, though they do tend to bring back more than they originally intended. Intercut with their trips to the past are scenes in the present: either problems coping with the new arrivals, or follow-ups about animals featured in previous episodes.
Why do I love it? Well, the time travel adventures are fun; the notion of saving these fascinating species from extinction is appealing; and the human touches bring it all to life, especially the scenes back at the park. (Also the animation was brilliant; but that's not exactly relevant to your writing me a story.)
Obviously, what I'd really like is the resurrection of the series and six more episodes. Realistically, you're writing me a Yuletide fic, so I couldn't expect more than a single time trip plus a bit back at the park. Nigel is the one who takes a team through the portal. However, I've also asked for Bob and Suzanne, since they're the ones who primarily deal with the animals at the park. Your choice of time period, of course; but, if you can manage it, I would prefer an era that is as-yet-unvisited.
Availability: The series is available on DVD as a boxed set, and the episodes are often up on YouTube in their entirety. (As usual, this is bound to vary depending on where you live. Google is your friend.)
Time Team RPF
Characters: Phil Harding (Time Team).
I'd like something similar to an actual episode; or possibly background on the making of an episode (the sort of thing that might be in a behind-the-scenes Special), for there's obviously a lot more going on than just the three days' dig. If you're looking for something more limited in scope, then chit-chat as they work or back at the pub would certainly be appreciated. Definitely gen, please!Time Team has recently been cancelled; but it used to be a hardy perennial on British TV (though here in Canada we're a couple of seasons behind). In each episode, a team of archæologists descend on a site for three days and excavate it for the cameras. However, these are real archæologists; so they work to professional standards, often on sites that have never been excavated before, many of which turn out to be genuinely significant.
What I'd like is something about the making of an episode, real or imaginary. Scenes from the cutting-room floor, so to speak—though it could be behind the scenes, whether before, during, or after filming, for there's clearly a lot of preliminary organization before the three days of the dig itself. If the scope of that sounds a bit much (and I can see how it might!) then perhaps you could write some chit-chat as they dig when the cameras aren't rolling, or a scene in which they set up a shot, or something back at the pub talking about the day's work. Character stuff.
I'm not especially interested in your having them discover something of "national significance". Their digs were always intriguing; but most of them were informative rather than earthshatteringly important. That sort of thing isn't exactly the meat-and-potatoes of archæology, anyway.
Feel free to include any of the people involved with the show. You don't need to limit yourself just to those who were nominated, let alone asked for. (Do please bear in mind, though, that I won't know anything from the last couple of years of the show.) I only specified Phil because he's created a distinct on-air character for himself that's very appealing; and it would be a great pity if he weren't in the story somewhere.
Gen, most definitely. The only thing that needs to get dirty are their boots. (Knees, hands, trowels....)
Availability: There is a section on the Channel 4 website that may be helpful. Apparently only bits of Time Team are available on DVD. However, there are sometimes a few whole episodes on YouTube. I suggest you try Google and see what you come up with.
The Charioteer - Mary Renault
Characters: Any.
Quite a lot of fan fiction focuses on the canonical romances; so I'd prefer a story that's a bit different. Perhaps something about Aunt Olive (past, present, or future), or a school story (not involving Ralph/Hazell), or a look at the Bridstow scene from a different p.o.v., or some slice-of-life at the E.M.S. hospital. Feel free to include other characters.The Charioteer is the last contemporary book written by Mary Renault before she shifted to writing historicals. What do I like about it? Well, it was one of the first stories I ever read that had explicitly gay characters in it, let alone a gay hero. The characters are eternally fascinating. In addition, it's set in Britain during World War II, which makes it an intriguing period piece.
Quite a lot of fan fiction focuses on the canonical romances; so, on the whole, I'd prefer a story that is more-or-less gen—though that depends, of course, on what characters are included during which period in their lives. I certainly don't want canon ignored; it's more a question of focus. Backstory, missing scene, an exploration of characters often overlooked....
Whoever you want to include is fine by me. You don't have to limit yourself to characters who were nominated.
I'd prefer something canon-compliant. Futurefic is okay; but I'd rather not have an AU.
Availability: The preferred edition is always the 1953 Longman (or its 1973 reprint); but the paperback is a lot more available, being in print. Also, Renault's books are found in most libraries. There's an LJ community,
maryrenaultfics, that is devoted to Mary Renault's novels. Current posts are members-locked; but it might be a good place to find a beta.Forever Knight
Characters: Any.
Casefic is always a treat; and I enjoy ensemble stories. On the other hand, if you prefer to focus on an individual, perhaps some backstory—family/personal life, history (for the vampires), gardening (for Feliks). By all means include characters who weren't nominated. However, I'm not so fond of Divia, Fleur, or Lisa Cooper; I'd prefer it if you avoided them. Preferably gen; but don't feel that you have to ignore canon.Although this is one of my better known fandoms (at least by Yuletide standards), you may well have matched me on a different prompt. So, just in case you've never heard of Forever Knight, it's a '90s TV series whose hero is a homicide detective on the Toronto police force who was turned into a vampire in 1228.
As someone who's played in a Forever Knight War as a Die-Hard (if that means anything to you), I like all the characters. Okay, some a bit more than others: so, I'd just like to say that I've never warmed to Divia; nor have I any great interest in Fleur or Lisa Cooper. I'd prefer, therefore, if your story focused on one or more of the others.
Here are a few general suggestions, if you find that sort of thing helpful.
I love the cop aspect of the series, both the interplay back at the station, and also the detective story plots. Casefic would be great; or maybe an ensemble piece, with the focus on people's interactions. I like both Tracy and Schanke as Nick's partner; all the captains are of interest.
Of course, you may prefer to explore one or more specific characters. I'm a keen gardener, so I've a soft spot for Feliks Twist, even though I do my planting outdoors and he, being a vampire, has to use grow lights. We know little about the personal/professional lives of any of the captains. Both Tracy's and Schanke's families are familiar from hints, but largely unseen. And, unlike the long history of Nick, Janette, and LaCroix, the third-season vampire characters have a history that is largely unexplored, aside from the circumstances in which they were brought across. Vachon is centuries old; Urs saw the whole of the twentieth century.
Basically, I'm pretty easy on what you write, though my preference is for gen. (If romance does sneak in, please stick to a PG-13 rating at most.) Any other characters you want to include would be fine. I'd prefer something canon-compliant, but do feel free to ignore "Last Knight" if you want.
Availability: The series is available on DVD. There's a Forever Knight wiki, if you just want to check details.
Hellspark - Janet Kagan
Characters: Maggy | Margaret Lord Lynn, Tocohl Susumo.
I love this book for Lassti, linguistics, the cast (especially Maggy!), and the detective plot. So as much of that as you can get into the story the better. A missing scene? Something aboard ship? A new case for the new judge? While I particularly want to see Maggy and Tocohl together again, I love all the characters; so please feel free to include any of them.If you don't know Hellspark, it's set in a far-future where humanity has spread out over many federated planets, each of which has evolved its own cultures and language. The "science" in the SF is Linguistics: the heroine comes from a polyglot people who serve as translators, traders, and judges. When murder is committed among a team of scientists evaluating a newly discovered planet, she is called in to investigate—not just to find the killer, but to determine whether the native species is sentient.
Suggestions, suggestions....
Well, I don't think it's reasonable to ask you to write a sequel. I'd love a sequel, of course; and it's not as though people have never written novels for gift exchanges. (I did myself once. Nearly killed me.) However, it's not really a practical request. *g*
I love casefic. Some other mystery for now-Byworld Judge Tocohl Susumo to tackle would be a joy. We saw one other world in some detail, at the beginning of the novel, so—if perchance some other year she were back there and some crime were committed—perhaps she might be enlisted to solve it. If you want something less plotty, I'd love a missing scene, either on board ship or on Lassti.
Although I specified Maggy and Tocohl as the two characters I really want to see in the story, do, please, feel free to use any or all of the others! I love Tocohl's friendship with Alfvaen. Om im's future role as assistant promises much. Buntec and Edge-of-Dark are always fun. Or layli-layli, swift-Kalat—any of the characters, in fact, whether nominated or not. They all have their charms.
Really, anything would be wonderful.
Availability: Now back in print (Amazon link).
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